Adventures of the Agents
by Obliviblur
Summary: It's been nearly two years since Agent 3 saved Inkopolis from the Octarians, and he still loves being an agent. Still, after all the time he's taken to be the only hero, things have gotten tough. But at least now he has two more agents to watch his back. And with the recent win-streak they've been having, they could do anything they wanted, right?
1. Log 01

**Warning:**

**This story contains spoilers for Hero Mode, Hero Mode 2, and Octo Expansion! Please read with caution.**

* * *

**Log 01**

"My name is Miles Coloran, I'm a sixteen-year-old inkling boy, love horror video games, and have a knack for Tower Control. I can't explain how much I dislike squid-bagging, but it doesn't happen to me often because hardly anyone can splat me anymore. But that wasn't always how it used to be.

"I still remember coming to Inkopolis Plaza two years ago. Rollers were OP, Aerosprays were loved, most Charger-Mains spammed the trigger, and Krakens were dreaded. But I didn't come here to talk about inklings. In fact, I'm here for the exact opposite reason. _Octarians..._

"You see, two years ago, while all those things I said _are_ true, the reason I am recording this is because of my job. To put it simply, I was noob. Back then, I was fourteen, naive, and liked to look at the memes posted in the Plaza. But after an unfortunate battle, I'd rushed out of the lobby in tears, tripped, and fallen into the sewer grate next to Judd the Cat. That's where my story really begins.

"I met Cap'n Cuttlefish, became Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, and basically saved the city from mortal doom (with the help of Agents 1 and 2 of course).

"After I saved the city, I tangled with this octoling. It was weird because he was stronger than most octolings. He almost beat me, but in the end, he fell off the side of the platform, and I never saw him again. I couldn't say for certain that he died, but I figured that it was probably most likely.

"After returning the Great Zapfish to Inkopolis, I was a hero to the public. No one knew the _real_ me, and I was fine with that. One hundred percent fine. But of course, things got complicated.

"Flash forward to two years later, inklings have now moved to Inkopolis Square because of who-knows-what, some of the old maps are abandoned, like Urchin Underpass and Saltspray Rig, the Great Zapfish is stolen _again_, and Callie is missing! I'm going berserk here! Only one a year before, I'd gotten that giant, stupid animal back from the Octarians, and they'd decided to steal it _again_! Obviously, they can't take a hint.

"At the moment, the Cap'n and I had been on a research trip, searching for this really cool torn cape that I now wear. I was already packed and headed back towards Inkopolis Square when I got word that Marie had hired another squid-kid to be the hero. Her codename was Agent 4. They'd replaced me…

"Well, I wasn't about to let my job be taken so easily. So after finding the cape, I began my return trip to Octo Canyon, leaving Cap'n Cuttlefish in his sleep near some sort of subway. He was old, and I figured he could take a subway train back to the Square. Unfortunately, along the way, I got lost, and my Hero Headset began to malfunction, so I couldn't contact anyone.

"For what seemed like forever, I tried to find my way out of the vast connection of underground Octarian kettles, and finally, I'd done it. I climbed out and immediately my Headset was working again. I started to overhear a conversation between Cap'n Cuttlefish and an unfamiliar voice.

"I could sense trust in the Cap'n, but I wasn't so gullible. That was just when I had gotten an emergency notification from… wait… who were Agents 5 and 6!? Had they hired _more_ rookies?! I was furious, but my fury was overrun by fear at the moment. I heard blender noises on the other end. That wasn't good…

"Next to surviving the Great Turf War, it was the luckiest thing that ever happened to the Cap'n. I was standing just overtop where he was about to become a smoothie. I kicked in the glass, and in the split moment between ceiling and giant blender, I saw the Cap'n stuck inside of a large machine with that octoling I had tangled with two years ago.

"My foot kicked in the glass, and had it not been for my head hitting the side of the blender, I would've gotten up and defended Cap'n Cuttlefish. But before I could… I blacked out.

"When I woke up, my vision was all green and blurred, and I couldn't think straight, to put it simply. I felt myself fighting someone but I couldn't tell who or why or what I was doing. Eventually, though, they splatted me, and I was out cold again.

"It was weird, because _this_ time, I woke up and I was on a platform being carried off by a glitzy helicopter. I looked around and saw a giant statue covered in pink ink sinking into the ocean, and when I looked up, I saw a face smiling at me. And not just any face. It was _the_ face.

"It was the octoling I had fought two years ago! He was right there! I could've easily shoved him off into the water below us, but something inside me told me I shouldn't. I slowly sat up and stared back at him, unsure of what to think. After a long moment of silence, I expected him to attack me, but the strangest thing happened.

"He stretched his hand out to me. I was caught dumbfounded and could only stare for a few seconds. I smiled and grabbed his hand, and he pulled me onto my feet. We started talking and I got to know him a little better, and eventually, we sat down to watch the sunset because he'd never seen one.

"Agent 8 loved it, and the rest of the agents came to sit down, with the exception of Agents 1, 2 and 4. But that's beside the point- this was nice. At least, nicer than usual. It was almost as if my adventuring days were coming to a close, and to be honest, I didn't fight it.

"Don't get me wrong, I love being Agent 3, but after being Agent 3 for so long, it would feel nice to retire. So I talked to the Cap'n about it. It took a while, but eventually I got him to crack. He was sad, but understood, and asked me to hand him my Hero Shot. But I couldn't do it.

"You see, after all these years, after all the Octarians I've splatted, deep down inside, I still love being Agent 3. I couldn't give up now. So no matter how many splats I take, no matter how many enemies I face, I _always_ have to get back up. Because I'm Agent 3…

"...and if I don't defend them, who will?"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**It's time to take a trip down memory lane.**

**Ah, yes, the good ol' days of Splatoon having constant updates. I remember it like it was yesterday... Anyways, chapter two will be out soon, and thank you for reading chapter one. **

**Obliviblur, _out!_**

_**(P.S. Can you guess the reference in the second to last paragraph? Reference will be revealed in chapter two!)**_


	2. Log 02

**Log 02**

"Hello there! The name's Iris Messiana! I'm a fourteen-year-old inkling girl, don't have too many friends yet… um, yeah... and spend most of my time working shifts for Mr. Grizz. I'm also Agent 4, hehe, thought you should know that.

"When I first came to Inkopolis a few weeks ago, I was sooo excited! I got to meet my idols, Off The Hook, and by that I mean they waved at me. Seriously! _They_ waved at _me!_

"But at the same time, I was so overwhelmed with everything to do at Inkopolis Square, I didn't know where to begin. So I was wandering around in my first hour, and then I spotted her.

"Straight across the Square from me was a very beautiful inkling girl. She was standing on a sewer grate, had grey hair, and wearing a formal Japanese robe. She held a bamboo umbrella in her hands and rested it on her shoulder. And the best part was… she was looking at me!

"I ran towards her, but as soon as I got five feet away from her, she disappeared under the grate, light green ink spewing up behind her as she did so. Well, I wasn't just about to let her get away! I shifted into my squid form and followed her inside, being sucked through some sort of pipe, and when I came out, what I saw was gorgeous.

"We were on some kind of glorious mountain. There were many beautiful decorations, pieces of lounging furniture around. I saw many little animals in cages, and the view was spectacular. I walked over to the edge of the cliff and smiled, taking it all in.

"The city. The clouds. The people. I loved every sight.

"_And_ there was the inkgirl! She was standing in front of some kind of shack, and I felt slightly embarrassed when I walked over to her. She eyed me suspiciously.

"Eventually, we got to talkin', and it turned out she used to be famous… apparently… It was pretty awkward when she realized she was old news. Squids my age hadn't even heard of her.

"She enrolled me in this group called the New Squidbeak Splatoon, I was Agent 4 (she was Agent 2). She told me her cousin, Callie (also Agent 1), was missing and she thought for sure it had something to do with the Great Zapfish going missing again, as well.

"I could tell she felt bad about it. And only to prove my point further, later that night, when I looked the Squid Sisters up, Inkipedia told me that Callie had gone missing shortly after she lost the Splatfest between the two. Heck, even _I_ felt bad, and I hadn't even met her!

"Agent 2 handed me my Hero Gear, and I was off. I traveled through several different bases, met challenging foes, made new friends, discovered Sea Scrolls, tested new weapons, and it all pointed to one cephalopod…

"DJ Octavio! I still scowl when I hear his name! The mentioning of the beast sickens me, and I feel so much better knowing that the only thing that stands between him and the city is that thin glass from that Snow Globe Marie locked him in...

"Anyways, the DJ put up a good fight. He was trying to squash me with his Wasabi beats (whatever that means), flying fists and all that crap. But it didn't work. Also, it turned out that Marie was right!

"Callie, or 'Agent 1', was being controlled by DJ Octavio. He'd put hypnotizing sunglasses on her, and it made her go bonkers. She started singing this really weird song, Bomb Rush Blush, and I didn't like it very much, but her voice was that of an angel's!

"After weakening Callie and the DJ, Marie used her low tide ink to bust the shades right off of Callie's face. It was amazing; watching them reunite. Callie returned to her happy self and rejoined Marie onto Sheldon's flying weaponry car, and they began to sing the probably best song I've ever heard:

"Spicy Calamari Inkantation! As Sheldon sent me the final weapon, the modified Rainmaker, I knew this was gonna be the greatest night of my life.

"Humming along with the Squid Sisters, I Super Jumped up onto the Ink Rails and began to dodge DJ Octavio's fist he sent jetting towards me. I jumped the spinning ones and hit the stationary ones, and it was enough to temporarily weaken him.

"I seized my moment, firmly gripped the Rainmaker, and ended the battle by jumping off the Ink Rails and smacking my weapon on his ugly, octopus face.

"There was an ink explosion, and it got in my eyes. I was sent flying backwards and knocked almost unconscious, but uneasily, I grabbed the Mini Zapfish and returned to the Marie's shack. As I landed, I tripped, and finally blacked out.

"When I woke up, there were two figures standing right over me. Every noise sounded far away and distorted, and my vision was extremely blurred. It stayed like that for a couple of minutes, but as I came into focus my hearing seemed to follow it.

"I felt my head throbbing and Callie kept whispering, 'You did it…!' while Marie just smiled approvingly. I sat up and stretched. My voice was currently too hoarse to talk; apparently I'd lost it in my time of being in action.

"Marie told me I'd gotten a little sick, but I was too excited to care. The Squid Sisters began chatting with each other as I checked the news feed on my phone, discovering the large Zapfish curled around Deca Tower once again.

"I smiled at the work I'd done. I felt so proud. Once again, I walked over towards the edge of the cliff, staring down at Inkopolis Square. If I squinted, I could even make out the shape of the abandoned Inkopolis Tower from so long again.

"My short hair flowed in the wind as I held my Hero Shot close to my chest. The sun had begun to set on the horizon, creating a beautiful hue of pink, orange and blue. I felt the corners of my eyes develope a mist, and I couldn't be happier. They were safe.

"The city. The clouds. The people. Everything in sight.

"Now _that _is what being Agent 4 is all about."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**It's time for a second stroll down memory lane...**

**_And_ we're back with another chapter! So... first, I want to promise that we'll get to the 'adventures' as soon as I finish all three of the Agents' logs. **

**Agent 3: check! **

**Agent 4: check!**

**Agent 8: not check...**

**But he will be soon. That'll be chapter three! Or should I say 'Log 03'. Hehe, anyways, not much more to discuss. **

**Obliviblur, _out!_**

**_(P.S. The reference in the second-to-last paragraph in chapter one was to my favorite movie, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. The whole sentence structure was kind of copying the 'get back up' idea from it.)_**


	3. Log 03

**Log 03**

"Um… hello. I'll say this first, in case your racist: I'm an octoling. An octoling boy, to be exact. My codename is Agent 8, but my real identity is Apollo Paintaz. I'm fifteen, like eating Crusty Sean's greasy food, and usually order my gear exclusively from Murch. I prefer Turf War over Ranked Battle, and I hate to be alone.

"When I'm alone, it lets me think about my painful, previous life, and sometimes I become so engaged with my memories, I feel like I'm actually stuck in them; the 'glorious future' I experienced was nothing more than a dream or illusion. When that happens, I feel myself in my young skin of hard-heartedness and determined violence after my heart broke to pieces.

"I remember being only nine years old when they started training me in 'The Samurai Academy for Octoling Young'uns'. I was always very shy, but eventually, I met someone who later became my best friend, and she helped me come out of my shell. Her name was Glowie.

"Glowie, yes, that's her name. She was enthusiastic yet encouraging, determined yet compassionate. Looking back, I'd say I liked her. Of course, even if I did know I'd liked her back then, I don't think I'd have the guts to tell her.

"In the academy, we learned about many things: balloons, various types of gear, barriers, clothing brands, etcetera. Everything we learned came with a poem. Each time we memorized a poem, we get this thing called a 'Mem Cake', like a small, foam object about the size of my palm. I had no idea what they were for, but I didn't want to assume anything incorrectly, so I just kept my beak shut.

"In the end, I collected all the Mem Cakes. Each time I looked at one, I felt myself remembering something from my past. Glowie guessed they probably stored our memories on them. She was right!

"Later, we began our weaponry training. We'd race each other in octopus form, fight to the splat, and be able to create detailed plans in only a few seconds. I was the top of my class, and every other student (excluding Glowie) hated me for it. But I didn't let it get to me.

"And now… comes the part of my life… that I hate the most. It was a normal day at the academy when we got word that Agent 3, an inkling boy of about my age, had just defeated DJ Octavio, our clan leader. The head trainer told me to find and splat him and bring honor to the entire Octoling Society. I agreed, but Glowie was reluctant to let me go alone.

"Nevertheless, I did what she didn't want and journeyed off by myself. I finally found Agent 3 after two weeks of searching, and it was obvious he wouldn't hesitate to splat me. I was a little terrified because, unlike him, I wasn't synced to a respawn point. It wasn't even a close match, and in the end, he totally had an opportunity to splat me. I accepted my fate as I lay helpless on the ground, knowing the disgrace I was. And then… it happened...

"Glowie lept from the shadows and pushed me out of the way. Being un-synced to a respawn point, she was instantly dead. Gone. Forever. And I was the one who'd let her down… She followed me, worried for my safety, but in the end, I was the one who made it out alive.

"I was so full of rage at that moment that I stood up and kept fighting Agent 3, and actually almost won. But he tricked me, and I slipped and fell off the ledge of the floating platform, down into the depths below me.

"When I woke up, I couldn't remember a thing and my stomach was growling fiercely. Someone was standing over me, an old man apparently. He was dressed in a green jumpsuit; I wasn't sure what to think of him…

"I sat up and he explained everything to me. We were in a subway. Since I didn't know my name, he called me Agent 8. I got up and discovered I was in a place called Deep Sea Metro. I immediately got in action, completing special tasks and recollection the Mem Cakes.

"Along the way, once I completed a line, I would get a large object called 'A Thing'. Eventually, I got four of them and we constructed some type of machine out of it. I'd thought the machine looked familiar, but I couldn't tell.

"Tarter told me and the Cap'n to get inside of it, and we did. But little did I know he was trying to splat us and the machine was actually a giant blender. But luckily, a cool looking inkling- he seemed familiar- busted the glass open just in the nick of time, and the Cap'n and I were saved.

"The boy turned out to be Agent 3. For a moment, I was furious about what he'd done to Glowie, but I realized he'd just saved my skin, so I forgave him and began working my way to the surface.

"I had to complete puzzles, sneak past Octarians, find a weapon, and even battle an evil Agent 3. In the end, though, I escaped and inked an entire statue with my pink ink. I gotta say, it was amazing!

"As the Agents and I rode off into the sunset, statue sinking in the background, Agent 3 began to wake up and look around. I was staring at him and smiling, too happy to not smile!

"He looked back at me and I stretched my hand out to him. He took it and I helped him up. He then asked me if I had seen a sunset before, and I shook my head 'no.

"He told me to turn around, and when I did, what I saw was breathtaking. The sky was gorgeously lit! The colors mixed in the sky told me of the wonderful future I had coming. But what was even more glorious…

"...was the city. The citizens were happy, loved, and appreicated. And that's where I was headed! No more warrior training, mean bullies or cruel lifestyle! I was gonna be 'just an octoling' among the city of Inkopolis.

"But that's the thing. I'm not just an octoling. I'm so much more! So yes, I may feel insecure from time to time, but after all that's happened throughout the course of my life, there's truly no moment I've felt lesser than anyone after joining the New Squidbeak Splatoon. So whether it's being outnumbered a thousand to one, being bullied and pushed around, or feeling down and out when the going gets rough... I'm Agent 8…

"...and the day I can't say _that_ with confidence is the day I fail to save Inkopolis."

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**Author's Notes**

**Time for a final trip down memory lane.**

**Y'know, if it weren't for my few story fans, this chapter wouldn't be existent to you guys, so you can thank everyone that reviewed my previous chapter 3! Thanks guys!**

**Obliviblur, _out!_ **

_**(P.S. I know a lot of stuff in the story was non-canon. Sorry... I was trying to stretch it out to a thousand words... hehe...)**_


	4. Message In A Bottle

**04: Message in a Bottle**

_"No!" I screamed, Hero Shot held closely to my chest. "Stay back! I... I don't want to hurt you!" A light flickered behind me as I continued backing up, terrified at what was in front of me. I didn't want to shoot… these were my friends… but as they pressed forward, shadows covering their eyes, I felt like I had no other choice. I lifted my Hero Shot up towards their mid-sections, ready to fire at any time, but… so conflicted…_

_I closed my eyes as I heard their low growls get closer; my heart was pounding faster than the speed of light. I slowly pulled the trigger on my Hero Shot twice. Immediately, the noises stopped. I slowly opened my eyes and gazed beyond me. I could only stare as two large puddles of my colored ink stood in front of me. They… were gone…_

_My eyes teared up at the realization of what I had just done. I dropped to my knees as a tear splashed onto the cold, concrete ground. My head hung low and I hated myself for my actions. Was it really for the best…? Was there possibly a way to cure them after all…?_

_I lifted my hands up to my face and stared at them. They were the instruments of destruction that I had willingly used less than a minute ago. These were the objects that had taken my friends away. If only I hadn't been so foolish…_

_Why didn't I just listen…?_

_The light above me continued to flicker as I grabbed my Hero Shot and stood. I blinked hard to hold back any other tears I had and began walking back towards the exit, cape flicking gently as I turned. My eyes were red and puffy… it was as if I could still hear their cries of help. I stuck my earbuds in and turned the music up as loud as it would go, drowning out the horrible sound._

_I clenched my fists as I ascended the steps, my breath visible in the cool air. I walked slowly out of the underground and out into the falling snow, gazing at the mess I had made. I looked at the beach and walked briskly towards the rushing water. I reach unpurposefully and stared into it. My reflection bounced in the waves. A single thought bounced around my head as another tear slipped off my cheek, creating ripples in the water as it made contact._

_With cracked heart, I, Agent 3, collapsed on the snowy sand and let out a pathetic sigh as my brain continued to only think of one thing: how I'd failed. What a job I'd done... I know they say that the hardest part of being a hero is that you can't save everyone, but in my opinion…_

_...it's the guilt and realization that you didn't._

* * *

I jolted awake and toppled out my bed. "Ugh… that dream again." I sat up and rubbed the back of my throbbing head. My cheeks felt hot and I rubbed the thermometer across my forehead, steady beeps coming from it. I looked at the grey screen and it read '102'. I had a temperature.

Great. Just great. It was snowing outside and I had to go on city patrol as Agent 3 like this! I staggered to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I was a wreck. Not only did I feel sick, but I looked like I'd gone a week without sleep. Bags under my eyes, a natural droop in my stance, the color of my hair faded. It was horrible!

Nevertheless, I pulled my Hero Suit on and grabbed my trusty Hero Shot. Hopefully Iris wasn't going on patrol with me, otherwise she'd be cracking jokes about me the whole time.

I swallowed and my throat stung… agh… sore throat! I gargled salt water, then got a real drink of water, which began to soothe my discomfort. My head ached as I climbed out my window, trying to look as 'not-psycho' as possible.

I was on the top floor of the apartment, so if I went out the main entrance, everyone would want my autograph and make me very behind schedule. I sprayed faded blue ink on the side of the building and swam up onto the roof, seeing everyone else had already arrived.

They all stared blankly, except for Iris, who smirked and chuckled as I arrived. Agent 1 smacked her on the shoulder and she immediately gained a straight face.

"What?" I asked, surprised at how hoarse my voice sounded. I cleared my throat. "What?" That sounded better.

"You sure you're up for patrol, bucko?" Cap'n Cuttlefish asked. I wondered how he'd gotten up onto the roof. That old man was the strangest person I'd ever seen. Er, in a good way.

"Yeah." I sat down and yawned, longing for my soft, warm bed. Everyone exchanged worried glances. Soon, Agent 5 spoke.

"Yo, 3, we got this! Why don't you take a breather?" she asked.

"No, Pearl." I shook my head harshly, instantly regretting it as my head throbbed. Cap'n Cuttlefish shrugged and began talking.

"Let him do as he pleases. Anyways, cadets, I'll announce the teams. Agents 1 and 5 are a team. You patrol the south side of the city."

"Got it, Cap'n!" Pearl smirked.

"Let's do this!" Callie grabbed Pearl's hand and they disappeared beyond the building structures, squid jumping to their destination.

The Cap'n continued. "Agent 2, Agent 6, you're a team. Patrol the west side of the city." The two nodded at each and hopped down off the edge of the building. I crossed my fingers to be paired with Cap'n Cuttlefish.

Having new members was great and all, but sometimes I missed being the innocent rookie and newest agent that would go on random adventures with the Cap'n. Sometimes I missed the old city, old haircuts, old weapons. Sometimes I just wished I could go back in time and relive the happiest times of my life.

"Agent 3! Agent 3! You there, bucko?" I heard the inevitable shout. I snapped back into reality.

"Y-yes?"

"You and Agent 4 are team. You will be investigating the east side of the city, by the sea coast. Beware of Salmonids. Agent 8, you're with me. C'mon!" He fell backwards off the edge of the building, Agent 8 trailing behind. Agent 4 and I gawked as he grabbed a pole hung on the side of the building and swung himself around onto the side of another building, and squid jumped safely to the ground. Agent 8 hit the ground with a hard splat! beside him.

"Whoa!" Iris Messiana gazed in amazement. "He's better than you!" I rolled my eyes and turned, walking to the east coast of the city. Iris turned, eyes bright, and followed. As usual, she was acting like she was seven. "Hey, why do you look like you just crawled out of the toilet?" I gave her a death stare and hopped off the side of building. I know I shouldn't be mean because she doesn't know any better, but for inkling's sake! How immature can you be!?

She followed closely behind. We both hit the ground I squid jumped towards the east coast. I went extremely high in the air, and plopped back down on my squid face on the hard snow-covered sand. I felt a liquid drip out of my nose and pinched it as Agent 4 landed.

"Ooh, that doesn't look good." she noted.

"No crap, sherlock." I snapped. Her face became red.

"Why don't you go back to sleep, you cross-eyed workaholic!" Ouch…

"Can we just get this done already?" I asked, releasing hold on my nose to stuff shredded tissue in my nostrils. Iris didn't respond, instead gazing out to sea. I waved my hand in front of her, but got no reaction. "Iris?" I asked, slightly annoyed. "You okay?" No response…

I tried to see where she was looking and spotted something floating towards us in the water. I waded through the freezing cold liquid that went up to my knees and grabbed it, quickly returning. It was a dark maroon bottle, floating in the water for some reason. Still, Iris just gazed in the distance. "Iris...?" My voice cracked and I became severely worried. "Agent 4!?"

"Huh? What?" she rubbed her arm and blinked twice. "Oh. Sorry."

"What in the world happened!?" I screeched, flailing my arms. There was a pause and she looked down.

"N-nothing…" I knew that wasn't the truth. Her eyes wandered to the contents in my hand. "What's in there?" She changed the subject. I reached my hand inside and felt something cold and brittle. I gripped it and pulled it out. It was… was paper!

"Whoa!" I stared in amazement. "Message in a bottle! How cool!"

"Read it! Read it!" she chanted like a three year old. I unwrapped the parchment and looked at the weird, foreign writing. I was very confused. It showed a picture of a tropical island, and the only word written in Inklish was 'Splatlantis'. My eyes went wide. Was this possibly a map with the whereabouts of Splatlantis!? And if so…

...what in Inkopolis was it doing here!?

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**Alright guys, chapter 04 is out! So now that you've read it, what do you think Miles' nightmare means? And what about Iris zoning out randomley? And _who_ could forget the shocking message in a bottle the agents found? ANSWERS...**

**...next chapter! **

**Obliviblur, _out!_**


	5. That's Unfortunate!

**05: That's Unfortunate!**

Agent 4 stared at the bottle and paper; she shrugged. "Doesn't seem like much." With the thrust of her leg, both items were sent flying through the air, back down to the ground and shattering all over the sand.

I felt my eyes twitch in anger. "Foooouuur!" I whipped around. "What the shell are you doing!? Stop goofing off! We're on an important mission, here!"

Agent 4 shrugged. "Yeah, okay. When you want to do something fun, gimme a call." She began walking away.

"Hey?! What!?" My face was burning with anger. "Get back here! We've got a patrolling job to finish!"

"That's what I'm doing, dummy! Now seriously, clean up your act. You look sicker than a dogfish. And besides, standing around isn't gonna get you any closer to finishing your job."

"No duh." I mocked, picking up the map that was lying on the ground. "But seriously, don't you wanna know what this thing is?"

She shook her head and giggled, right before jumping away, "Don't care. Never will." I growled and looked at the map once again, sighed, and stuffed it in my pocket. "Wait up, 4…" I grumbled, slumping after her.

* * *

"Cap'n! Cap'n!" I burst through the door of the Cuttlefish Cabin, holding the paper in my hands. "Look what _I_ found! Not Agent 4! _Me!_ Pretty cool, huh?"

"Agent 4 found this?" he asked, taking it.

"Um… no! I did!" I protested. It was as if the Cap'n didn't listen.

"Agent 4, this is an incredible find! Where did you get this?" he stared in awe at Iris.

"In a bottle!" She gave a fanged smiled.

"Wow!" he praised. "This could be the greatest find of all time, 4!"

"I FOUND IT!" I shrieked from the background.

"Now if only there was someone able to read this…" The Cap'n stroked his beard. "8? Got any ideas?"

"No." he shook his head, a stupid smile on his face. I growled in a deep voice.

"How about we ask Sheldon, Cap!?" I asked through gritted teeth. The Cap'n shook his head.

"No…"

"Hey, Cap'n, let's ask Sheldon." 4 suggested.

Cap'n Cuttlefish replied, "Good idea!" My jaw dropped.

"WHAT THE SHELL!? THAT WAS MY IDEA!" I screamed.

"Geez, calm down, 3." Agent 8 stared. "You look like you're gonna explode."

"No, 8, this is bullfish!" I felt my body shaking as Cap'n Cuttlefish and Agent 4 left the building.

"Cod… I'm glad I didn't grow up with you." Apollo began to walk out of the room. I grabbed his short collar.

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Hey- get off!" He pulled my hand off his shirt and walked out of the building. I followed.

Soon, we had arrived at Sheldon's weaponry shop, where he proceeded to tell us he couldn't read it and that, if _we_ wanted to read it, we'd have to find DJ Octavio. He was the only one who could. Apparently, he mastered the traditional, complex, cephalopod language. So, that's what we did. Cap'n Cuttlefish told Agent 8 and I to to get him to read it.

"Alright, DJ, let's make this quick." I said, approaching his snow-globe. My cape flowing in the wind would've made me look cool, had I not been sick.

"Hey, so uh, Octavio, can you read this please?" Agent 8 asked, holding up the specific piece of paper that could potentially be a map on the whereabouts of Splatlantis. Cod, I hate 8's happy-go-lucky squeak of a voice.

"Dunno." The DJ turned, tentacles crossed, as per usual.

"Do it, Octavio, or I _swear_ I will _throw_ you _off_ _that_ _cliff!"_ I threatened. I could hear his pathetic, quiet cry of 'please not again'.

"Well, what if I don't know?" he asked. I felt my cheeks grow hot.

"OF COURSE YOU KNOW! Quit toying around! Sheldon knows everything! He _can't_ be wrong!" I screeched, flying off the rails.

"Answer us, DJ Octavio!" Agent 8 shouted. "Um… please?"

"Alright, _fine._" He whined. "It says, 'Splatlantis: The City Lost In Time. Then there are a bunch of numbers. That's it."

"What?" I looked at the map. "Numbers…? Numbers don't mean anything! He's _lying_!"

"Well, they do look similar to our numbers today…" Agent 8 noted. "I don't think he's lying."

"Thank you, octoling traitor." DJ Octavio nodded.

"But… but… Splatlantis… my amazing find…" I stuttered. My cheeks grew hot again. It was as if you could see the smoke coming from my ears! "You _crabstard_! I SWEAR- GRAAAHHHH!" I shoved the snow globe off the edge of the cliff, he began falling down.

"Um… 3… you okay?" Agent 8 asked, clearly weirded out.

"Let's just get back!" I said, walking back towards the kettle that led to Inkopolis Square. I was gonna take a _long _nap when I got home.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**Alright, I tried to make this chapter more dialogue-focused because, to me, that's always been more interesting, so I'm assuming most of you are the same. Hopefully you like it (even though it's a little short)! Also, take everything in this chapter lighthearted; most of it (such as the sea-based cuss word substitutes) was meant as something extra to make you laugh! **

**Personalities:**

**-Agent 3 is a hot-head and is jealous easily, but never are his intentions bad, as well as he always works hard to have a good attitude and give inklings the benefit of the doubt.**

**-Agent 4 is a childish little dope that gets under you skin easily, but she means well and is trying to get better at reading body language when people are annoyed. **

**-Agent 8 is an octopus that went from being depressed to being happy-go-lucky, though still kind of laid back and a little more quiet.**

**That's all for now, guys! Catch ya on the flip side!**

**Obliviblur, _out!_**


	6. A New Day

**05: A New Day**

I awoke the next morning feeling very refreshed. I didn't have a temperature, nor did I feel sick. I grabbed the fake Splatlantis map that was lying on the counter top and stared at it once again, thinking about how I'd been a dope to think this map was real. I was still sad about it...

I grabbed it with my hand and made my way down the stairs, wearing the Backwards Cap, Baseball Jersey and Red Hi-Horses. I walked into the Square and looked around, when suddenly something strange caught my eye. It… it was Marie! And Pearl! And Iris! And every other agent! They were heading down into the sewer grate that led to Octo Canyon!

_What are they doing without me? _I thought, running up to them. Apollo spotted me and let out a shocked squeal.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!" he screeched, flailing his arms. Everyone saw me running towards them and their reactions were the same. They started pushing and shoving each other to get in. I was surprised when Cap'n Cuttlefish practically threw Pearl out of the way to get inside. As I reached the grate, all of them had managed to scurry inside.

I sighed and followed them in. I popped out in Octo Canyon only a few seconds later, but no one was to be found. _Strange..._

"Guys? Hello? You here?" No reply. I looked around quizzically. Without notice, everyone jumped out from behind something and shouted extremely loud.

"Surprise!" I felt myself practically leap out of my skin. They all surrounded me, smiles on their faces. "Guys? What're you doing here?"

Agent 4's eyes lit up. "Well, we wanted to make you feel better."

"What?" I asked, confused.

Callie and Cap'n replied in chorus, "About the phony map you found!"

"But… I… wasn't upset." I lied. Everyone lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't lie." Marie smirked. "I can see right through you, y'know." I felt myself blush. Marie was my crush back when I was fourteen and maybe a little when I was fifteen.

"No you can't." I replied, red-faced.

"Regardless," Marina put her hand on my shoulder, "Pearlie told me about Apollo telling her your reaction upon discovering it was fake." I frowned.

"Y-yeah. I guess." I held my arm. "I just… I…" I stared at my feet.

"Come on, 3, you can tell us anything." Agent 4 intervened. She smiled warmly at me.

"Agent 3, you have to trust us!" Callie smirked. I felt myself grow angry at their prying, despite the fact I knew it was for the best.

"I missed being the rookie, okay!?" I bellowed. Everyone was a bit taken aback.

"Excuse me, what!?" Pearl shrieked. "Are you saying ya don't like being fresh?"

"No! That's not what I mean!" I replied. "I just miss it all. Two years ago, 'Agent 3 was the latest and greatest thing', but now, there are four new agents that replaced me, and I feel like, most of the time, my work is completely overlooked now… I know my complaint sounds childish… but it's my actual problem… I… I..." I felt my eyes becoming moist, and quickly rubbed them.

Had he not had a long, scraggly beard, you could've seen a sad smile form across Cap'n Cuttlefish's lips. "Agent 3… Miles… we do what we do here in the New Squidbeak Splatoon because it is our duty. And when you have a job to do, if you've done your best, no work will be overlooked. Even if you feel that way. But… Agent 3 was what got us going. You were the one, yes you, that made us known. Bucko, you saved the entire city! You rescued many Mini Zapfish and even the Great Zapfish! You rescued me _twice_ and Agent 8. You worked efficiently, getting the job done quick and right! You locked DJ Octavio away, pushed through the hard times and have never missed a patrol… Miles, if that wasn't meaningful, then the definition doesn't exist."

I felt the squishy side of myself shine through, and I gripped Cap'n Cuttlefish in a tight hug. Everyone else began to get in on it, and as the snow began to fall once again, I smiled, a tear slipping down my cheek.

Now I knew who would save the city if I wasn't there. The Squidbeak! They weren't just my co-workers, they were my closest friends, my family… so yes, maybe I've saved the city, rescued Zapfish, fought Octarians and navigated underground kettles. But I didn't do it alone.

Not by a long shot.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**The end!**

**So I hoped you liked it, guys! I was originally gonna make it longer, but I decided to just make a short little story instead. It was more fun to write that way. So I guess you can just ignore that dream Miles/Agent 3 has in the middle of the story, after all the 'logs'! ****And that is it!**

**Obliviblur, _out!_**

**_(P.S. I will have a new Sonic the Hedgehog story coming out soon. It is called 'Sleep Paralysis'. You can expect that in a day or two!)_**


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